Dokkodo: Lonesome Road of Running

Day 24 began with a 4:30 AM wake-up call. It looks like another chilly, rainy day ahead. Taking two days off makes the body feel sluggish. Rather than feeling refreshed, the temptation to just say, "I’ve had enough of this hard work," starts to creep in. Still, I keep moving forward because the journey brings so many encounters, discoveries, realizations, and lessons. Today’s target is 45 kilometers. I’ll make sure I’m well-prepared for the rain and cold before I head out. I set off just before 8:00 AM, handling the self-checkout myself. Come to think of it, the owner here left for Thailand yesterday for work. After leaving the city of Çanakkale, I passed through what was essentially a continuous stretch leading into the town of Kepaz. I followed a back road along the coast for about 9 kilometers before merging onto the D550 highway. I had traveled this route by minibus two days ago to visit the ruins of Troy, so I was already familiar with the lay of the land. I managed to c...

I woke up around 6:30 AM to the sound of the *adhan* (call to prayer). Usually, I wake up around 4:00 AM, but since it was raining and I had another day off, I decided to indulge myself a little and stay in bed. I took a shower and had breakfast—or rather, a meal consisting of hot coffee, a banana, some nuts, dried fruit, and granola. Fortunately, these kinds of food items are reasonably priced in Turkey, which is a nice bonus. After getting some work done on my PC—editing my newsletter, organizing data, and checking my route for the coming days—I headed out into the town a little past 10:00 AM, amidst a light rain. The temperature was 11°C (52°F), but with the wind, it felt much colder—reminiscent of a daytime in Osaka during December. If I were running, I probably wouldn’t feel the cold as much, but looking around, I saw people bundled up in down jackets and coats. Between the rain and the wind, my body just kept getting colder. Having spent the period from last year through this spr...

*I took plenty of photos again today. You can see them in the YouTube video, but please also check out the album via the link below. On Day 22, I woke up before 5:00 AM. This is my first day off in Çanakkale. Today, I’m heading to the ruins of Troy. Embarrassingly, I never knew that the ruins of Troy were actually in Turkey. I’ve always loved Heinrich Schliemann’s *Ancient Passion* (a book about his excavations), which I read back in high school—perhaps this is some kind of destiny. Once I return home, I plan to watch the films *The Odyssey* and *Troy*. There is something about the ruins of Troy that stirs the imagination. A cat enjoying a feast of mackerel this morning. In a park by the Atatürk Bridge. Minibuses depart from beneath the Atatürk Bridge, but I arrived about an hour and a half early. I’m used to killing time, so I decided to wander around the area. I’m taking this bus to the ruins of Troy—it’s about a 30–40 minute ride from here. For me, taking buses or trains in a foreig...

Day 21—I am now in my third week of traveling through Turkey. Today, I’m covering the 30-plus kilometers from Lapseki to Çanakkale. I plan to take a rest day in Çanakkale and visit the ruins of Troy. Each day, my mind wanders to many things—sometimes I find myself trapped by the past, or anxious about the future. But I must always face the reality that I am alive, right here, right now. I must give my all to what I can do in this very moment. Just as this thought crossed my mind, the *adhan* (call to prayer) began to echo through the morning air. 111 years ago, the very place I am visiting today—Çanakkale—was the site of a fierce war. It is known as the "Gallipoli Campaign." Throughout human history, conflicts have occurred everywhere. Even today, wars are being waged across the globe—driven by religion, ethnicity, or territorial disputes. When John Lennon sang "nothing to kill or die for" in his song "Imagine," he wasn't merely expressing an ideal; he...

On Day 20, I woke up at 5:00 AM. Today’s destination is Lapseki, 25 kilometers away. The rain has cleared, and it’s a beautiful, sunny day. About 30 kilometers southwest of Çanakkale, on the hill of Hisarlık, lie the ruins of Troy. I first learned about this place in high school through Heinrich Schliemann’s *Ancient Troy* (originally titled *Passion for Antiquity*). It’s also currently in the spotlight thanks to the film *The Odyssey* (based on Homer’s epic). I’d love to visit, but… I set off at 7:40 AM, just as the sun was rising. It remained cloudy and cold all day. The D200 highway runs along the coast and offers some lovely scenery. The road features frequent, gentle ups and downs, which keeps things interesting. That said, long, gradual inclines are the most taxing on the legs and lower back. Today, I was approached by locals on two occasions. The first time was while I was taking a break, 15 kilometers outside of Lapseki. A couple pulled up in their car, struck up a conversation...

On Day 19, I woke up before 5:00 AM. Today’s destination is a town called Gürece, 36 kilometers away. The route includes a couple of hills, each about 100 meters high. Compared to the areas around Istanbul—where there are many large cities—this region has less traffic, and the air is still clean. I’m moving away from the interior and back toward the shores of the Sea of ​​Marmara. It’s about 90 kilometers to Çanakkale. I could potentially reach it in two days, but there’s no need to push myself. The main thing is to focus on the present—to enjoy the here and now—and to think only about wonderful, pleasant things. I dried my tent and other gear, which had been left wet from yesterday, inside the room. By morning, everything—including my laundry—was completely dry. My gear is my travel partner, so I treat it with care. When traveling alone, staying in tune with one’s equipment is essential. I never forget to say "thank you" to my gear. Breakfast—this comes with a fried egg and ...